STD vs. STI

[ClementineK]

Hi guys,

I had a quick question about how you all refer to genital herpes. When I was going through sex ed, everything was referred to as an STD (including chlamydia, gonnorhea, etc.), but when I was in college it seemed like there was a movement to start referring to the "curable" STD's as STI's. So, HIV, Hep B, etc. were still STD's (because they're "scarier" and incurable). So, where does herpes fall?

[HerryTheHerp]

They're the same thing. Sexually transmitted disease = Sexually transmitted infection. It just depends on who is writing it up. Some are curable, some are not. Some will kill you, others just irritate you.

[mr_hopp]

It's interesting the switch from STD to STI. From what I heard, there was a fuss over the word "disease" (which I agree with has a negative connotation); so they changed it to "infection" instead. To me, infection still carries the same negative connotation. To be "infected" by something sounds not so good.

 

STC would have been my choice. "Sexually Transmitted Condition." But hey, they didn't ask me. ;)